Student & Graduate Reviews (99)

5
out of 5

Rob-
February 16, 2017

Graduation Year:
2016

With all of the negative comments about Full Sail University, I took a gamble with attending the school after reading reviews about it, much like you're doing now. First of all, if you have the intention of going to the school with hopes of transferring to another institution, you will be met with great difficulty because of their accreditation. But don't let that be a deterrent. The programs they offer are great and honestly, you get what you put into them. I also see people complaining about the instructors. EVERY institution has instructors that won't engage you as much as you'd like. Full Sail is no different in that regard. But not all of the instructors are bad. I feel that a lot of the negative reviews you see are disgruntled students that either couldn't maintain the pace or did not budget well for the loan repayments that followed graduation. Like many students at Full Sail, I am veteran and attended the school using my Post 9/11 G.I. Bill and YES, I also have debt from additional loans I took out but the important thing is I stood on top of those finances and always kept well aware of what I would have to pay back. And for the record, I'm not rich. Here are some key points: YES, it is an expensive school and if you take out loans to attend, it will be a hefty loan repayment plan that you need to prepare for once you graduate. YES, the schedule is rigorous but as a graduate that works in the field now, I can tell you that you will be glad that you adapted to the pace that Full Sail expects of you. YES, it's true that Full Sail does NOT guarantee you a job but who can say that other schools out there do? It all depends on how much you engage in networking and asking questions to the right people. That really falls onto you and your goals. YES, the education is second to none in the field of your choice but once again, you get what you put into it. Ask for extra lab sessions when available if you're going for a technical degree or ask advice from some of the instructors that are still active professionals in the field. They also have the ability to refer you to people they know that may require your skill set. But that depends on you. And if you have an instructor that's unwilling to help, there are channels you can go through to report that instructor and find someone that can help you. I've seen it happen. YES, it's a For-Profit school but how does that effect your desire to get into the entertainment industry? It's an expensive school. They have expensive gear that students use on a daily basis. They're constantly building new additions to the school to enhance the student experience. It's bound to be pricey. My last piece of advice to you is that if you really want to do break into this industry, with or without Full Sail, it's going to be difficult. Full Sail gives you a strong foundation for the knowledge and the experience. You're not limited to what you do in the classroom. You can connect with Full Sail staff on outside events and gain experience in the real world to pad your rsum as you work toward graduation. Like I said, you get what you put into it. There will frustrating times and there will be times when you feel like you can't do it but it's not impossible. Don't let all of these negative reviews discourage you. Do the research and dig deep into the program you're interested in. Make a sound decision for yourself. If you take out loans, teach yourself to be a budgeting guru and work hard to get placement into a job after you graduate. Also, student loans are normally deferred for 6 months after you graduate. You have that time to secure a job and save money to start your payments. Once, you get the ball rolling and you a have a system in place, things will run a little smoother. It won't be glamorous to start, but it will come to together if you prepare yourself for it. Hope this helps.

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30 out of 30users found this review helpful.

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5
out of 5

Chris-
February 12, 2017

Degree:
Computer Animation

Graduation Year:
2017

Online school gave me the flexibility to work in the field and go to school at the same time. Also going to school online was significantly cheaper than going on campus. Do not expect to just do the course work and get a job. You need to work in your off hours developing you skills and portfolio to stand out from the rest. If you do not do this, you will be leaving bad reviews on this site blaming the school instead of yourself. Most of my teachers were knowledgeable about their subject and very few classes were irrelevant. The school also has great financial services. Everything was a breeze and I always had my equipment sent out to me on time.

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9 out of 10users found this review helpful.

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1
out of 5

Angel-
January 25, 2017

Degree:
Recording Arts Technology/Technician

Graduation Year:
2015

Be prepared to owe a lot of debt when you get out. I'm served the U.S. Army and was using my Post9/11 GI Bill, and still owed money. I was there from Nov 2015 to July 1016 and now I owe $15,000. The school is fast paced, 2 year bachelor's degree and if you fall behind you may as well give up because the teachers will not help you whatsoever. I've asked the school for time off so I may have a break but I all my emails have went unread or ignored. I called but to set up an appointment and they looked at my as if I was committing a crime. I don't recommend anyone to attend this university unless you have very strong financial support in which case why would you even attend. The supplies I was given should have already been enough to become my own recording artist. The supplies included is a Mac Book, headphones, Scarlett 2i4 audio interface, microphone, and pro tools. Literally all you need if you want to come a recording artist. The task they give you is very mundane such as, "how to wrap an audio cord with no twist or bends in it." You could easily buy these items off the shelf and create a soundcloud to upload you music and go from there. I wish I would've know what I do now instead of incurring such debt of which I cannot pay. I can't attend other universities because they will hold onto your transcripts until the debt is paid off. Remind you, I'm a disabled veteran and cannot work at this time. When I attended there was a lot of false motivation and very poorly executed publicity stunts to try an impress students or anyone in general. I went to learn how to create music instead I learned how to wrap a cord in a very specific way. Another big blow was the fact I was attending the campus, not online. Everything you do, is online. The only class that wasn't is when you actually went into the studio. I myself had no prior knowledge of how a studio worked and even then, they expected you to know right off the bat what every item in the room is called, on the first day. I would not recommend this school, instead do your research for other schools.

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26 out of 35users found this review helpful.

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5
out of 5

Fallen Feather Films-
January 16, 2017

Degree:
Film/Cinema/Video Studies

Graduation Year:
2013

I had a great experience at Full Sail University. So many great memories were made at that school. Though most importantly the amazing teachers. These teachers will stick with you all the way through even after graduation. If you have a question about anything with the industry they will keep teaching you. Even though you have them for one month they truly do become family. I look Facebook and so many success stories from classmates that I graduated with. I went off to working for my own video production company and was hired on a job based on the fact that I went to Full Sail. It's top notch! Though don't think its easy. Most people go in thinking it's easy and everything will be given to you. It's hard. Though if you show up to class on time and you should be on Lombardi time. (If you don't know what that is then look it up before you go to Full Sail.) If you do the work, participate, and NETWORK you will do just fine. The biggest flaw to the school is that their career placement department is not very good. They will keep up with you for about a week or two after graduation and then they just float out to sea and you won't ever hear from them again. Though don't worry if you go through this school and manage to succeed you won't need this department to help you. You will fall into a job fairly easy. Though it will take time but if you put all of your heart into finding a job you will get it.

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12 out of 17users found this review helpful.

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4
out of 5

CB1212-
January 14, 2017

Degree:
Communication and Media Studies, Other

Graduation Year:
2018

So far, I have had some doubts about Full Sails capabilities. However, the support that I receive from liaisons has been superb. As far as the classes themselves? I have had a class to two in which I got generic feedback. But to me that is fine when I compare to the actual feedback I get when I ask for it. I am an online student and I am aware that the teachers also teach in class. I have been able to figure out a lot of ting on my own to get my assignments done. A lot of people will complain about not having a specify class when it comes to photo shop or illustrator. But since I have figured out a lot of those things on my own, I feel better for it.

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6 out of 8users found this review helpful.

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5
out of 5

Oddi-
January 11, 2017

Degree:
Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia

Graduation Year:
2014

I've seen some people giving a bad review to Full Sail University and the main reason is "lack of communication" from the teacher side. Well, I did have all the support that I requested. Some teachers went on vacation and they replied my emails. I'm very grateful to be an alumni from Full Sail University!

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5 out of 10users found this review helpful.

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5
out of 5

Eric Montalvo-
January 6, 2017

Degree:
Music, Other

Graduation Year:
2016

After putting in the work to obtain my Bachelor's I gave up my social life to get my act together and really put in the time to achieve my degree. It wasn't easy but the experience and networking between fellow students helped me to get a different perspective of the degree program. I used this knowledge of the music business to get opportunities working in school districts teaching music history and also putting bands together and how to manage them. It was a great experience for me and if you get the chance I'd ask you to check it out for yourself.

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3
out of 5

RangerDanger-
December 3, 2016

Degree:
Cinematography and Film/Video Production

Graduation Year:
2017

So I thought I would review my Full Sail experience, as I am currently enrolled in an online course, with a few months till completion. First, some of the bad things you hear about Full Sail are true. For me, the one major issue is the lack of communication from some teachers. Some of them don't really teach, they just outline what they want you to do and don't offer any real feedback. I have heard from some students that get very frustrated. I already had a lot of experience using much of the software needed for classes. However if it is you first time using video editing software, don't expect the teacher to show you how to operate the software. For many classes it is on you to figure out how to use the equipment provided. Which can be more challenging, but if you are not use to learning that way, I could see it becoming disheartening. Which is why I think many student become disenfranchised with the classes. That said, I have had some amazing online classes, with some great teachers. Some of them, you can really tell are very passionate. I feel it brakes down like this. 40% of the classes are great with amazing teachers. They go above and beyond to help you, if they can. 40% of classes are just okay. The teacher is fine, not great, but you don't feel lost. 20% of classes, you never hear from the teacher and maybe get a few videos explaining the concepts being covered. These are the classes in which you feel like it's all a waste of time. But even these classes can be informative, it's just on you more to teach yourself. I think, like all schools, if you put in work, it can be rewarding. If you mess around, you are going to struggle.

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28 out of 30users found this review helpful.

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1
out of 5

Andy-
December 2, 2016

Degree:
Video Game Design

Graduation Year:
2017

The first four classes were good, the instructors were always there for questions and there were weekly lectures and lots of interactions. Then began the real Full Sail school experience. I cannot speak to on campus students but I can tell you about one year of online school and it was bad. Vague instructions, no teaching or anyone to teach you, and extravagant assignments where you literally were told to watch You Tube videos to learn what to do. Save yourself thousands of dollars and just watch You Tube and you'd learn more and not have the debt than you will at Full Sail. Or find yourself a nonprofit university and see what the college experience can be like. Full Sail did not take any previous school credits. They are four times more expensive than my current university. They are a degree mill and likely will go the way of ITT when all their accreditations get pulled. Do not believe the advertising, it is false. You will be angry, frustrated, given intense assignments with no idea what to do and no help to get there. They will try to fail you in order to get you to take the class again, they have NO incentive for you to pass. They can make twice as much if you fail and they will liberally fail you or overwhelm you to the point of failing. I beg you, look elsewhere.

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35 out of 40users found this review helpful.

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3
out of 5

Deep concerns-
December 2, 2016

Degree:
Drafting and Design Technology/Technician, General

Graduation Year:
2017

I am a current (new) student to the online Masters program for IDTMS. I had already started before reading the reviews. I was under the impression this was supposed to be a hands on learning environment with real professional instructors. What I am finding is professional instructors who pile on a lot of non-productive work. I am an A+ student and have been since my undergrad (3.75 GPA). The rigor of this course seems to be the loads of work given - not the content. Also, I can't seem to understand why we are not given the leading instructional design softwares (Camtasia and Captivate) as tools for our program. I am going to switch to the film program to follow my passion that I discovered in the Mastery. I hope it will be a better fit. This school is not what I thought and I am not happy. It is the second month and I am looking for a way out. I should have stayed at USF. I do think the mastery course is effective and The reading assignments are overly done. I won't say it is a bad school however it is not for everyone.

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